Another ref implicated in Donaghy scandal?

[Roy Hobbs]

Fascinating article from Foxnews.com. (Hat tip, LarBrd33.) 

EXCLUSIVE: NEW YORK — NBA referee Tim Donaghy made repeated phone calls to a second referee at the same time he provided inside information to professional gamblers during the course of the 2006-2007 season, according to court documents and phone records obtained by FOXNews.com.

The records show Donaghy placed 134 calls to referee Scott Foster — more than the 126 calls Donaghy made to his bookie — between October 2006 and April 2007, the period during which he has confessed to either betting on games or passing on game information to gamblers. The majority of the phone calls lasted no more than two minutes and occurred prior to and after games Donaghy officiated and on which he admits wagering.

With the exception of 150 calls Donaghy placed to Thomas Martino, to whom he says he provided “picks” to win games and who was the middleman between the disgraced referee and a bookie named James Battista, the ex-ref phoned no one more than he called Foster. During this period, the most calls Donaghy made to any other referee were 13.

It’s unclear what information was exchanged during the calls between Foster and Donaghy, who is awaiting sentencing later this month in federal court after reaching a plea deal in the case. Federal prosecutors in the case declined to comment on this report. But former federal prosecutors not involved in the investigation say the frequency and duration of the calls, as well as the days they took place, are suspicious.
...
Calls between Foster, 41, and Donaghy, also 41, took place immediately before and after 54 of the 57 games Donaghy officiated from the beginning of the 2006-2007 season until mid-March, when his role in the gambling operation apparently ended. Records also show a vast majority of the calls came in the hours before or after games officiated by Donaghy or Foster.

Obviously, this is all based upon speculation and innuendo.  Still, it doesn't look great for either Foster or the NBA. 

[zerophase]

in my view, all the refs top refs are in on it together and so is stern. people would therefore claim that i am insane, but that's just what i believe. if for some reason we could finally trace this to stern and remove him from office, the scandals will be over.

[wdleehi]

NBA has a serious problem with their fans believing in their officials.  This is only going to make it worst. 



NBA need to go into one of the seasons with the promise to call the actual rule book.  Officials will have to be held to this.   


it might be rough to watch in the beginning, but I have no doubt the players and coaches will adjust. 

[Kuberski33]

NBA has a serious problem with their fans believing in their officials.  This is only going to make it worst. 

It won't be a serious problem for them until either fans stop going or worse, sponsors pull out.  Honestly I don't think most of the fans who go to the games really care given all the fluff etc that the NBA loves to sell - and the fans seem to love.

Sponsors however are a completely different story.

[iowa plowboy]

NBA has a serious problem with their fans believing in their officials.  This is only going to make it worst. 

NBA need to go into one of the seasons with the promise to call the actual rule book.  Officials will have to be held to this. 

it might be rough to watch in the beginning, but I have no doubt the players and coaches will adjust. 

Agree 100%.

But Stern burned the rulebook when Jordan came into his prime.  So where is Stern going to find a rulebook for the officials to read?  There is no NBA official who's read one in nearly 20 years.

Excellent post, Mr Kuberski.  As long as Stern can keep following the money with a professional wrestling officiating format, why change?

[wdleehi]

NBA has a serious problem with their fans believing in their officials.  This is only going to make it worst. 

It won't be a serious problem for them until either fans stop going or worse, sponsors pull out.  Honestly I don't think most of the fans who go to the games really care given all the fluff etc that the NBA loves to sell - and the fans seem to love.

Sponsors however are a completely different story.

The hard core is there.  NBA doesn't worry about them.


it is the fan that will watch big games they worry about.  Those are the fans they will lose, which in turns lowers how much money they can get from sponsors.


The key for the NBA is to attack this issue before the fans leave. 

[satch]

This is starting to look like professional wrestling. Is Vince McMann is charge of officiating?

[MaineBleedsGreen]

Doesn't surprise me. I never believed the "one bad apple" theory. of course other people are involved.

[clover]

Doesn't surprise me. I never believed the "one bad apple" theory. of course other people are involved.

Yep, Stern was all too quick to try to contain it as such, if you ask me.

[SShoreFan 2.0]

Doesn't surprise me. I never believed the "one bad apple" theory. of course other people are involved.

Yep, Stern was all too quick to try to contain it as such, if you ask me.

I believe this is what Senator Specter was saying about our beloved Pats and the NFL.

[iowa plowboy]

I don't believe anything Specter says.

But I do believe this could go either way.  It wouldn't surprise me if several officials were involved in scandals.  It wouldn't surprise me if none of them were. 

Sadly, because of the nature of the way games are officiated.....With different rules for different players and different rules at different stages of games, how the hell can anybody know for sure?

Donaghy would have been an obvious rogue before Jordan.  It was easy for him to fit right into today's NBA.

When the primadonna can go from half court to the basket without dribbling, Stern might just as well appoint guest referees like Vince does.  He could appoint Jesse "The Body" Ventura guest referee....He was as great as a "referee" at ignoring the obvious as any NBA official is when the primadonna is on the court. 

[nickagneta]

I think this is very damaging evidence against referee Scott Foster.

Also not exactly favorable news for the NBA that had Foster refereeing Game 5 of the Finals and other games in the playoffs this year(including game 4 Cleveland).

He is also rated by covers.com as the 54th best "homer" ref out of 62 and the 48th best ref vs the over/under line out of 62.

Lots of phone calls from a crooked ref and constantly calling game in which you are rated far to one side when calling games in two different categories doesn't bode well for Scott Fosters future.

That the NBA internal investigation couldn't turn up this evidence is in my estimation proof they are doing everything they can to look the other way when it comes to the state of the officiating in the NBA.

wd, iowa, and others are right. Just have the refs call the game by the G.D. book regardless of who is winning or losing, who is committing the foul or offense, and what time in the game it is.

Have pride in the game and stop trying to manipulate the game for the sole purpose of trying to market it. The 80's renaissance occured because great players took the game to the next level. Allow great players who play within the rules and by the rules to do so again. The game will sell itself without doing everything within the NBA powers to ensure great players do great so that they get to market them.

[incoherent]

If this is true I can't possibly fathom a reason why this ref was called so much if he wasn't apart of the scandal.

If the ref in question now is still reffing next year I do not know what to say.

[fugazzi24]

All I have to say is the NBA is a much harder sport to fix than Football.  In football if you are the line judge you can change the course of a entire game with a holding penalty or pass interference.  With the amount of money being wagered on Football and all professional sports I am sure there is a lot more gambling going on then we all realize. 

Didn't Jai Lai have a really bad gambling problem back in the 80's. 

Professional boxing has been fixed for the last 20 years as well.

[The4Time2Doctor0]

very sad